Spectre Challenge: „Licence to Kill“ (1989)

Since they revealed at the „Spectre“ Premiere on Monday that we would get to see Bond’s apartment I just now have the picture in my head that every Bondgirl he successfully seduced has her own room there…just picture that. Some collect trophies, Bond collects women. Or how else would you explain him always making a girl fall in love with him, while two years later (I presume that we have to merge real life waiting time between films with the time Bond takes to have another „on screen show worthy“ case.) he has forgotten about the past „love“ and continued to seduce new ladies…or he simply has a relationship span of two years. Well that would be boring.

„Licence to Kill“ is the 2nd (and last) time Timothy Dalton portrays 007. (It’s also the last film in the 80s and with that the last film before I was born. Sorry, I am getting a little too off topic here. Anyways.) From „war“ against Russia (which we will revive, I am sure, again) we have now gone over to the bad, bad South Americans (Sorry, my friends.). Bond is suspended when going after Drug Lord Franz Sanchez who hurt 007s close CIA friend Felix Leiter and killed his wife on their honeymoon.

The film is packed with plane action sequences and some pretty cool underwater stunts (Is it just me or does Hollywood produce less under water scenes now a days? I feel like the last couple of Bonds made it onto water, but never into.) The fact that Dalton does most his stunts himself does not only impress me, but makes those sequences even more spectacular. Finally there is no far away shot from the stunt and an awkward close up with a studio background, but the real deal. And I think he did good. I like Timothy as Bond. He looks the part but also very much plays the part very well, like I picture Bond. I didn’t expect that, because, to be fair, Dalton was not at all on my radar. I had seen all other Bonds before him…so, the pressure was on.

I thought the story was a cool one, especially with such a cool female lead…and oh, Q…tiepie. I loved seeing the Mr. Gadget of MI6 out of his „laboratory“ and actively taking part in the story. He (the actor Desmond Llewelyn) was already 75 back then, but hard working and funny like no other. I just love him as Q.

By now I was surprised so many time, I actually shouldn’t be anymore…but I was. Excited for the film I sat in shock when I read his name in the opening titles: Benicio Del Toro. My heart (possibly) skipped a beat. Oh, I love him! And yeah, his part was not a huge one…but actually seeing him back when he was a young boy, most likely at the beginning of his career. Just precious!

Yeah. There is always so much to say. I enjoyed it…and I am so happy that I am watching all the films. When I was watching the Spectre Premier Livestream and they played all those Bond Songs, I felt quite good knowing that I now can put these songs somewhere…a couple of weeks ago I would not recognised a lot of them. Watch them…it is so much fun.